Powder-can top.



UNITED STATES PAT NT oFsioE.

ALFRED V. O LDHAM, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

POWDER-0. m Tor.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED V. OLDHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Powder-Can Tops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I My invention relates to improvements in topsfor powder cans, condiment holders and similar containers, and it consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The. object of the present invention is to provide a perforated container top having a sliding valve which may be easily operated and readily applied to or removed from the top for cleaning purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container top of this character which will be of simple,

durable and comparatively inexpensive construction;

The above and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l'is a perspective view of a container top constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the under side of'the top, showing the valve plate in its open position in full lines and in its closed position in dotted lines; Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken, respectively,.on the planes indicated by the lines 3-3 and 4-4 in Fig. 2,- Fig. 5 is a view 7 of the under side of a slightly modified form of the improved container top; and Fig. 6 ma perspective view of the valve plate shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes the top or cover of a container of any description. As here shown, the top is of circular form, having a surrounding rim or flange 2 andoneor more outlet or discharge apertures 3 adapted to be opened and closed by a valve plate 4 slidably mountedupon the under side of the top. The apertures 3 are preferably arranged as shown-in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and

'the valve-plate 4 is formed at suitable points with elongated openings or slots 5 which are adapted to be brought into' and out of register or alinement with the apertures 3 by reason of the sliding movement of the valve-plate. The valve-plate 4 is detachabl'y mounted upon'the under or' inner face of thetop 1, andis guided in its sliding movement thereon 'by lugs 6 stamped and bent up from the top 1 upon its under side and by means of a fingerpiece or tongue 8 which projects from one side of the valve-plate and through an opening or slot 18 in the rim 2 of the top. I preferably employ two of the lugs '6 and arrange them centrally the top. As shown, they are of V-shape and Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 17,1906. Serial No. 312,1.

Patented July 16,1907'.

project through parallel slots 9 formed in the valveplate 4. The points or lower ends of said lugs are bent, as shown at 10, to engage theunder or bottom face of the valve-plate and retain its upper face in contact with the under face of the top 1.

To permit of the valve-plate being readily applied to and removed from the top without bending the lugs 6, 1 provide in said slots 9, notches 11 corresponding in shape to the shape of the lugs 6, so that when the valveplate is moved to bring said notches into'alinement or register with said-lugs, the valve-plate may be easily lifted or removed from the top. As shown in the first four .figures of the drawings, the valve-plate is actuated by a resilient wire spring 12', which is bent into U or V- form and is retained upon the valve-plate by passing its ends 13, 14 through apertured lugs 15 struck up from the valve-plate. The ends of said springs engage the inner faces of the rim or flange 2 at diametrically opposite points and retainthe valveplate in a central position upon the top so that the apertures inthe latter will be closed by the valve-plate and the notches 11 inthe slots 9 will be out of register or alinement with the lugs 6. It will be seen that when the plate is in this northe tension of ,the end 13 of the springto a position in which the notches llzwill bd disposed in alinement with the lugs 6, so that the valve-plate may be removed from the top. Owing to the manner in which the spring 12 is mounted, it will be seen that it will be retained upon the valve-plate when the latter is removed.

Instead of employing the two ends of a single spring, as shown in Fig. 2, two separate springs may be employed and they may be secured to the valve-plate, or as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, they may be formed integral with the valve-plate by cutting the same to form two bowed tongues 16 and 17 which correspond to the ends 13, 14 of the spring 12. When this construction is employed, the valve-plate is of course made of some metal that is sufliciently resilient for the purpose. In all other respects,-the construction and operation of the device shown in 5 and 6 is identical with that of the one previously described.

The construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood fromthe foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 4

It will be seen that the device is of exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction, since its parts may be made and put together without the use of solder, screws or other extraneous'fastening means. It is also very durable in use and convenient and efficient in operation. Since its' valve-plate may be quickly and easily removed and applied, it may be readily taken apart to be washed and cleaned.

Various, changes in the form, proportion andthe minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any at the advantages -of the' invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by LettersrPatent is:

1. The combination -of an apertured container top, a

valve slidable thereon, retaining lugs upon said top slidably engaged with said valve, the latter being formed with notches or openings to permit of the passage of said lugs.

therethrough, a finger-piece upon said valve projecting opposite directions, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth. I I

2. The combination of-an apertured container top having a surrounding flange, an-apertured valveslidably 2 0 mounted upon said top and formed with parallel slots and communicating notches, retaining lugs upon said top projecting through said slots and of less size than said notches, apertured lugs upon said valve, a'bent spring having its' ends projecting through the apertures in said lugs and en- 25 gaged 'with opposite points of the flange of-said top, and a. finger-piece upon said valve projectingtlirough an opening in said top, substantially as shown and described. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setniy hand. in

presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

